Caleb Dewan, a student in Hawai‘i Community College’s Summer Engineering Academy, works on a light meter challenge lesson with instructor Andrea Wilson.

At Hawai‘i Community College’s six-week Summer Engineering Academy, middle and high school students learned to think and solve problems like engineers — while also having fun.

In the process, they tackled subjects like computer programming, electronics, and architecture, which sound complex and intimidating even to many adults. But the program is designed to demystify these subjects through hands-on projects like creating Rube Goldberg machines, light and sound meters, and self-driving model cars.

“What we’re trying to do is introduce engineering to kids in a fun, practical way to spark their interest in engineering fields,” said Naveen Siriah, Information Technology Specialist at Hawai‘i Community College and an instructor in the Summer Engineering Academy. “Kids are often scared of engineering, but the idea here is to build their confidence and show them that they can do it if they find the engineering field that suits them and pursue it.”

Meghan Wong, who will be a junior at Kamehameha Schools in the fall, said Summer Engineering Academy was useful for exploring career options.

“You get to see a range of different types of engineering,” she said.

A lot of the students, like Catherine Cornella, liked the project to develop a Rube Goldberg machine because of the creative latitude it gave them.

“The Rube Goldberg machine was pretty cool,” Cornella said. “It was completely original. They didn’t give us a design to work with, they just gave us the parts.”

“The Rube Goldberg machine was pretty cool,” Cornella said. “It was completely original. They didn’t give us a design to work with, they just gave us the parts.”

The Summer Engineering Academy culminated in a science fair held July 21 at the Hawai‘i CC campus in Hilo where students presented projects to their families and community members and received certificates.

More About Summer Engineering Academy

This summer was the first time Hawai‘i CC offered the Summer Engineering Academy, and more than 20 students enrolled. The program was established through a partnership with Honolulu Community College and aided by a legislative appropriation that allowed Hawai‘i CC to provide the classes to the students at no charge.

Summer Engineering Academy aligns with the University of Hawai‘i’s and Hawai‘i Community College’s goal to increase the number of students graduating with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) degrees to help create more high-quality jobs and diversify Hawai‘i's economy.

“Summer Engineering Academy intends to inspire students at a young age in hopes that they will eventually enroll at a higher education institution and succeed in STEM programs,” said Jessica Yamamoto, the Director of the Hawai‘i CC Office of Continuing Education and Training, which organized the program. “It was a very successful first year and we hope to offer it next summer as well.”

Happy holidays to all! This is a time of year for reflecting on the many things in life there are to be grateful for, and one of those is the amazing community support Hawai‘i Community College receives from Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii (JCCIH).

Hawai‘i Community College Alumni & ‘Ohana is pleased to announce that nominations for the Alumni of the Year Award are now open. The award, established in 2017, recognizes Hawai‘i CC alumni and former students who have made major contributions to their professions, vocations, and/or communities.

Kick off the holiday season and celebrate the 30th year of the festive Christmas with the Chefs, Saturday, Dec.1. The annual gala is on the seaside grounds of Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel from 5:30-8 p.m.

After graduating from high school on O’ahu in 2010, Noah Patterson Hanohano Dolim needed direction. He was an underachieving student in high school, Dolim says, and he didn’t know what to do next. That’s when he decided to move to Hilo and enroll at Hawai‘i Community College. With family on Hawai‘i Island, it seemed like a smart move, and it turns out he was right.

Poets Christy Passion, Ann Inoshita, Juliet Kono and Jean Yamasaki Toyama will read from their work that revisits the 1932 kidnapping and murder of Native Hawaiian prize fighter Joseph Kahahawai and the events surrounding it, commonly known as “The Massie Case.” The poetry reading will be followed by a Q&A.

This event is free and open to the public. All are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be served.

“Coming to Hawai’i Community College was my rebirth, my reinvention of myself. Since then I’ve been on the path of school, and I haven’t stopped yet. I think if I’d gone straight to a four-year university, I don’t think I would have made it. The transition would have been too hard. I really needed the smaller school.”